


Like A Cat

by BooksandKpop



Series: Soft Fics 9: Every SF9 Pairing (OT2) [14]
Category: SF9 (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Domestic, Fluff, Human!Hwiyoung, Inseong Jaeyoon Dawon and Youngbin are human, Juho is a doctor, M/M, Magical Illness, Shifter!Rowoon, Taeyang and Chani are shifters, this was not the way i originally intended it to go but sure look
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-07 10:08:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15906138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooksandKpop/pseuds/BooksandKpop
Summary: Hwiyoung had a hard enough time looking after himself, living on his own far away from home for the first time ever. It was bad enough trying to balance uni life and personal time as it was - so why did he think it was a good idea to take in a stray cat he found on the street?





	Like A Cat

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ayasegawoah](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ayasegawoah/gifts).



Hwiyoung’s parents had warned him about the struggles of living alone. They told him all about the responsibility it would take to look after bills, groceries, and just general housekeeping duties all by himself. At the time, he had just written it off as their attempt to convince him to stay at home and go to the local community college, but he was determined. He wanted to move to the city and attend university to get the best education he could. With his grades and school performance getting an academic scholarship was easy, so at least his parents didn’t have to worry about tuition fees, but they still didn’t want him to leave the nest.

 

However, his mind couldn’t be changed. So on a sunny Saturday at the end of August, Hwiyoung left his parental home and hopped on a train to the city, to begin his new student life.

 

Turns out, his parents were more than just a little bit correct. They had provided him with the money for the deposit on his small box flat, but left it up to him to pay rent and bills. He had some money saved up from his summer job put aside, but soon realised it was not going to be enough. And so that was how Hwiyoung found himself working odd-hour shifts at the corner store opposite his building. 

 

There were a few things going for it at least. First, the pay was decent enough that he was able to afford decent meals out of the money left over after bills. Second, it was less than a three minute walk from his front door meaning he could pick up extra shifts on short notice if needed. And finally, the people he worked with were both hilarious and helpful, allowing him to settle right in and not have to worry too much about messing up when he started.

 

The thing was, Hwiyoung had never really needed to be independent before this. His father and mother had always taken care of everything for him. That wasn’t to say he was entirely inept, not at all. By the time he was sixteen his mother had made sure he knew how to cook decent meals and his father showed him all the correct ways to do laundry and general housework. But while he knew these things, it wasn’t until he moved out that he actually needed to do them. And unfortunately, he had already forgotten most of what he learned.

 

So, the first few months were rather hectic. Learning how to balance his studies with his part-time job while also finding time for himself wasn’t easy. But with the help of his friends he soon learned. It wasn’t until he returned to his flat after a long weekend spent with his parents that Hwiyoung noticed one crucial thing about his independent living. He was rather lonely.

 

Sure he had his co-workers, Inseong and Dawon, who never failed to make him laugh when he shared shifts with them, or his university friends Taeyang and Chani, who were always ready to drag him along to some extracurricular or another. But at the end of the day, when he returned to his apartment he was all alone, and it began to bother him.

 

**

 

“You should get a dog! They would totally keep you company.”

“Don’t be ridiculous Dawon. A dog needs a lot of attention, you can’t just leave it at home all day. They need to be walked and fed and given proper care. How about a goldfish?”

“You can’t talk to a goldfish Inseong, they don’t return your affections! And they are unsuitable for cuddling. Maybe a houseplant?”

“Yeah, a houseplant would be manageable. Hwiyoung you should totally get a houseplant!”

 

He just looked back and forth between the two older guys before sighing and slumping down in his chair. They were wonderful people, truly he loved them a lot, but sometimes the things they said could be a little bit out there and unhelpful at best. It only got worse when Dawon’s boyfriend showed up.

 

“JAEYOON!!!”

“Hey Inseong, what’s up?”

“Nothing, we’re just discussing Hwiyoung’s adoption of a houseplant as a cure for his loneliness.”

“Good idea babe, as long as it’s not a cactus. You can’t cuddle one of those.”

 

Hwiyoung shook his head and told his co-workers he needed to take a bathroom break. He didn’t really, but it gave him an excuse to get away from their madness for a few minutes. While staring at himself in the cracked bathroom mirror (courtesy of a bet between Inseong and a previous part-timer Youngbin) he found himself seriously contemplating the idea of getting a houseplant. 

 

Hwiyoung didn’t have to actually follow through with the idea of getting a houseplant to talk to for his loneliness because something else came up in the meantime. It was lashing rain one Thursday night as he made his way home from university. Fortunately he had brought an umbrella and coat with him, because as he stepped off the tram there were buckets of water falling out of the sky. He felt sorry for anyone unlucky enough to get caught in this weather unprepared. 

 

As he was speed walking back to his apartment, he came across something that changed his life.

 

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted something shining through the rain on the street. Startled, he stopped and turned to look properly. There, cowering under a flimsy piece of cardboard were two big, golden eyes staring back at him. Without a second thought, Hwiyoung crouched down and made sure his umbrella was shielding the owner of those eyes from the rain and waited. Sure enough, after a minute the most beautiful black cat emerged from its hiding place.

 

Hwiyoung immediately had his breath stolen by the animal. The cat was rather tall and lean, but not in an unhealthy way. It’s black coat was slicked down with water but it was easy to see there was a clean shine to the fur. Around its neck was a simple royal blue ribbon, a striking colour which only served to bring out the beautiful golden colour of the creatures eyes even more. He was awestruck, even more so when the cat moved closer and looked up at him with a pleading stare. He didn’t even hesitate to scoop it up into his arms and huddle the animal under his coat as he hurried the rest of the way back to his apartment. 

 

When he finally made it inside and out of the rain he let out a sigh of relief. He carefully brought the cat out from under his coat and set it down on the floor. It took a moment to look around at the surroundings before turning to stare back up at Hwiyoung. There was a feeling of gratitude in its gaze and Hwiyoung almost felt uncomfortable. Then it turned away and began padding further into the apartment. Unsure of what else to do, Hwiyoung quickly removed his coat and shoes and placed the umbrella in the bucket by the door before following.

 

For a moment he panicked when he reached the small living space and he couldn’t see the black cat anywhere. He knew the flat wasn’t all that big but still, he didn’t want it by itself in new territory when he had no idea where it even came from. His panic was short lived as he spotted the black silky fur perched on the arm of his couch watching him. Judging by the animals ease inside it wasn’t hard to say that it was probably a housecat, not to mention it’s gentle demeanour and overall good-looks. A stray wouldn’t have such a clean, shiny coat nor a pretty ribbon around its neck. Which meant, that this cat was either lost or had been abandoned. He sincerely hoped it was the first. 

 

Obviously tired of just sitting and waiting, the cat let out a single meow. The sound was rich and soothing, like nothing Hwiyoung had ever heard before. As a child his family had kept cats as pets, but they never sounded so composed or calm when they called him. Which of course reminded Hwiyoung of why the cat was probably meowing in the first place - it must be hungry.

 

Making his way towards the kitchen, he could feel the stare of the golden eyes follow him, although it made no move to get off the couch. Hwiyoung obviously didn’t have any cat food on hand, so he had to make do with something else. There was some cooked chicken in the fridge, left over from his dinner the day before. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. So he transferred it to a small plate and filled a bowl with water before setting them both down on the floor where the cat could see them. It looked at him curiously, and so Hwiyoung crouched down beside the food and starting cooing for the animal to come over.

 

If he hadn’t known any better, Hwiyoung would have sworn that the cat was laughing at him. But eventually, it gracefully leaped from the arm of the couch and strolled over towards him. It sniffed cautiously at the food before taking a small piece to taste. Obviously satisfied, the cat finally began to eat properly and Hwiyoung let out a sigh of relief. With that sorted, he supposed it was time to make something for himself.

 

Over the next few days, Hwiyoung tried everything he could to find the owner of his newest companion. However, it was proving to be a difficult task. The cat, whom he had temporarily named Rowoon, seemed to be able to tell when Hwiyoung was trying to take a photo of it and made it next to impossible. It also ran away and hid in ridiculous places whenever Hwiyoung had tried to bring it to the vet to see if there was some sort of microchip that could be used to track the owner. All he could do was put up a notice in the shop he worked in and around his SNS in the hopes someone knew something. 

 

Another problem he was having was with the cats behaviour. For one, it refused to eat the cat food Hwiyoung bought after the first day, even the really fancy pouches recommended by cat owners online. Instead, Hwiyoung found himself feeding the cat a varied diet of things that were safe for consumption, which apparently ranged from boiled rice and sweet potato to organic unsalted tuna and cooked meats. This cat was almost eating as well as Hwiyoung was, and if it wasn’t such a sweet, handsome creature he may have been a little upset. Other strange things included the insistence to sleep under the covers in Hwiyoung’s bed at night and using a litter box only if it was in the bathroom. 

 

As it was though, Rowoon turned out to be perfect company. The cat allowed Hwiyoung to hold and cuddle it as he watched films at night, and also provided a wonderful sense of warmth in the form of curling up in a ball in his lap when he was studying or doing assignments. One thing he had been worried about at first was leaving Rowoon inside the whole time when he went to classes or work, but he soon discovered that if he left the small window in the bathroom open, the cat was more than content to hop out and wander around the area while always returning when Hwiyoung arrived home.

 

So the weeks passed and Hwiyoung had been unsuccessful in locating Rowoon’s owner, or even finding out what had happened in the first place. But he couldn’t really bring himself to be too upset over it. Not when he had a companion who alleviated the loneliness he had been feeling in his apartment without requiring a lot of work. If anything, having Rowoon around was almost like having a mom figure in his house again. The cat would meowl at him if he left things in a mess, heatbutted him to remind him to eat (even if Hwiyoung had make sure to leave food out earlier) and sometimes even went as far as turning off his desk lamp when it was getting too late at night to continue studying. He grew insanely fond of his new furry friend, and while he should have been curious about how the cat knew to do these things, instead he was happy to just have a presence around that seemed to genuinely care about him.

 

Just as Hwiyoung was becoming accustomed to having the cat around the apartment, strange events started happening. It was small things at first; laundry he didn’t remember folding sitting on his bed, dishes he was sure hadn’t been washed returned to their places in the cabinets, and meals he certainly didn’t prepare sitting on plates in his fridge waiting to be eaten.. Anyone in their right mind would have been worried about someone being in their apartment, but so far whoever it was had only done helpful, almost motherly, things for him. 

 

But then, he noticed Rowoon started looking a little worse for wear too. The once pristine and gleaming fur was starting to dull and the cat’s eyes began to lose their shine. He was worried for the animals health, but it still avoided him when he tried to make a visit to the vets. So instead he had to settle for asking google for help and keeping a closer eye on the cat. 

 

Everything came to a head one Wednesday afternoon. Hwiyoung’s usual two to six pm workshop was cancelled because his lecturer was sick and so he got to head home early. He was thinking about Rowoon the entire walk home, the cats condition being the worst it had been all month this morning before he left. If things kept going this way he would just have to get the local vet to make a house call. 

 

Arriving at his front door, Hwiyoung was rummaging in his bag for his keys when he heard a loud thud from inside his apartment. He was momentarily frozen in place, but then he heard a pained mewl that sounded just like Rowoon and so he rushed to open the door and ran into the living space. The cat was lying in the centre of the room, his coffee table knocked on its side and the books which had been stacked on one edge were scattered across the floor. He ran over to the poor creature, which was breathing laboriously and seemed to be drenched in sweat. Did cats even sweat? Hwiyoung wasn’t sure, but that wasn’t what he was worried about right now. 

 

As he reached out to touch the animal, suddenly its eyes opened and Hwiyoung thought he saw brown irises for a moment before the usual gold colour returned. It leaped to its feet and began backing away from Hwiyoung in a seemingly panicked manner. He held out his hands slowly and tried to calm it in a soothing tone, but as soon as he made to move towards it the cat turned around and sprinted for the bathroom door which was slightly ajar. 

 

Hwiyoung was extremely worried for the creature, and so he jumped up and hurried to follow. Just as he was about to push the door open further there was another resounding bang which sounded like something heavy falling into the bathtub. He thought maybe Rowoon had knocked over the bottles of cosmetics that sat on a shelf. What he actually encountered was something he was completely unprepared for. 

 

There was a man lying on his side in the bathtub facing away from the door and stark naked. Even curled up the way he was, he still seemed to be too tall to fit all his limbs into the small space. Hwiyoung would have yelled if he wasn’t so shocked. He was also still filled with worry for the cat which was nowhere to be seen, despite the window not being open. Which also led to the question, where did this person come from?

 

“Who are you? What are you doing in my bathroom? How did you get in here? Where’s my cat?”

 

There was no verbal response from the intruder in his bathroom, but just sounds of pain. Despite himself, Hwiyoung was worried for the state of the man. The muscles under his skin were writhing and there were bruises all down his spine. Against his better judgement, Hwiyoung ran to the living room to grab a blanket before returning to the bathroom and throwing it over the mans shaking form.

 

He turned his head towards Hwiyoung, eyes a striking brown with gold rims around the edges. His hair was dark black and he was drenched in sweat, and once again Hwiyoung was reminded of Rowoon, who was still nowhere to be seen. So he decided to try asking again, only this time he took a different approach. Crouching down so he was at eye-level with the stranger, he used his gentle tone to voice his questions.

 

“Are you alright? Do you need help?”

 

A nod. Slow and unsure, but it was there all the same. Hwiyoung smiled softly, encouraging the man to talk and patiently waiting for his response. The stranger licked his chapped lips before sitting up  in the bathtub, covering his chest and lower torso with the blanket and drawing his knees towards himself to fit fully.

 

“Why did you have to be so nice to me Hwiyoung?”

 

His voice was velvety and smooth, like melted chocolate. Hwiyoung was confused how this man knew his name, but he supposed that was a question on the same level of how he got into his apartment in the first place. For now, he was just focused on finding out what he could do to help, and where his cat was.

 

“You look like you’re in pain, I just want to help you.”

“But, even when you first found me, you were so nice. Most people would have left me there to freeze.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean. Have we met before?”

 

The man looked shocked and confused, tilting his head to the side in a way that reminded Hwiyoung of what Rowoon would do when he said something stupid. There was a niggling thought in the back of his mind that was trying to push through, but Hwiyoung dismissed it as he focused on the very tall and ill person in front of him.

 

“You really don’t recognise me?”

“No, I’m sorry. I’m sure I would remember meeting a person as handsome as you before.”

 

He didn’t mean for the words to slip out but they were true. Hwiyoung felt a blush rise to his cheeks but the other man didn’t seem to notice the compliment. It was silent for a few minutes, but before Hwiyoung could try prompt him any further the stranger let out a strangled yelp. He screwed his eyes shut and his body started convulsing in the small space of the bathtub. Hwiyoung jumped up in worry, confused as to what he should do. 

 

The man curled himself into a small ball and covered himself entirely with the blanket, which was odd because Hwiyoung had been sure it was too small to hide him before. It only lasted a minute before the figure under the blanket stopped moving and there was a small whimpering noise. Hesitantly, Hwiyoung stepped towards the bathtub and gingerly pulled the fabric aside. When he saw what was underneath he collapsed backwards, landing hard on the tiled floor.

 

There was no way this was happening. Less than five minutes ago there had been a fully grown adult male sitting naked in his bathtub, and now, there was a cat. His cat - Rowoon. Curled up in a ball and shaking. Convinced he was hallucinating but still filled with worry for the creature, he kneeled up and peered into the white porcelain. Sure enough, the black bundle of fur was lying half under the blanket, fur wet and brown eyes looking pleadingly up at him. 

 

Except Rowoon’s eyes were usually a beautiful shade of gold. These brown irises looked far more human, almost exactly like the stranger who had been there moments before. The niggling thought broke through the barriers of his mind and suddenly things became clear. Except, he was now convinced even further that he had gone insane.

 

“Rowoon?”

 

The cat nodded at him, small and unsure, and the deja-vu was overwhelming. Hwiyoung carefully reached out and picked up the animal cowering there and brought him back to his bedroom. He gently laid Rowoon down on the mattress before sitting on the end of the bed, making sure to leave enough space that he wouldn’t crowd the cat. They stared at one another; Hwiyoung in disbelief and Rowoon in what looked like shame. It was a few minutes before the cat started to shiver and convulse again and Hwiyoung looked away.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

The velvety voice was back, and when Hwiyoung turned around the stranger had gotten under the covers of his bed and pulled them up to his chin. He was pale and shaking, hair tousled and brown eyes dim.

 

“Don’t apologise. Just tell me what I can do to help.”

“I’m sick. I have no control over my shifting and it’s draining all my energy. I need medical treatment.”

“I don’t mean to be rude but I doubt any human doctor will know what to do.”

“No, you’re right. Do you have a phone? I’ll give you the number of someone who knows what to do.”

 

Hwiyoung quickly ran out of the room to find his phone and returned with the dialling screen already open. The man rattled off a phone number from memory and Hwiyoung waited with bated breath for someone to pick up.

 

_ “Hello? Who is this?” _

“My cat isn’t a normal cat and he says he is sick and that you know what to do.”

_ “ - What’s your address? I’ll be there as soon as I can.” _

 

He gave the person directions to his apartment and was assured it would only be twenty minutes before he arrived. Hwiyoung relayed the information to the tall stranger in his bed which brought a look of relief to his face. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Hwiyoung’s curiosity got the better of him.

 

“So, you’re Rowoon then?”

“Well, yes. That’s the name you gave me I suppose.”

“What’s your real name?”

“Seokwoo.”

 

Seokwoo, the name rolled off his tongue like it was made to be spoken out loud. It fitted him, soft and gentle like his personality.

 

“I really liked the name you gave me too though, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if you were male or female so I was a little worried.”

 

Hwiyoung chuckled, embarrassed by his own confession. Ro- Seokwoo also seemed to find it funny and laughed quietly. But then his body was overtaken by a coughing fit and he began shivering again. Panicking, Hwiyoung moved closer to sit beside the taller male, wanting desperately to reach out and touch him but afraid he wasn’t allowed to. But the black haired man seemed to read his mind and lurched forward, tucking himself into Hwiyoungs neck.

 

“Please, I need the physical contact.”

 

His voice was low and broken and Hwiyoung couldn’t deny him that. So he repostitioned himself to sit with Seokwoo at the top of the bed and wrapped his arms around broad shoulders. Seokwoo rested his head on Hwiyoungs’s chest, hair tickling the underside of his chin and he let out a relieved sigh.

 

They sat like that until an urgent knock came from the front door of the apartment and Hwiyoung had to get up and answer it. A tall man with dark blue hair stood outside with a large duffel bag in hand.

 

“You’re the one who called me about a sick shifter, right?”

 

His voice was even deeper in person, and Hwiyoung could only nod in response and gesture for the man to come inside. He didn’t even wait to take off his shoes, immediately following Hwiyoung to the bedroom where Seokwoo was crying out in pain again.

 

“SEOKWOO?!”

 

The new stranger sounded even more worried now that he seemingly knew who he had been called about, rushing to the bed and taking the black haired males face in his hands.

 

“Do you have any idea how worried we have been? It’s been months since anyone has heard from you!”

“I’m sorry Juho. I got sick.”

“I can see that dummy. How long has this been happening?”

“Well, I was stuck in cat form for three months, and then about two weeks ago I shifted back but it wasn’t voluntary. Since then my shifting has been random, I can’t control it. Today alone I have shifted seven times.”

 

The man, Juho, let out a worried noise when he heard that. Straight away, he turned to his bag and began rifling through the contents. All the while, Hwiyoung stood in the doorway to his bedroom looking on with no idea what to do. Seokwoo looked up and caught his eye, and let out a small whimper. Without a second thought, Hwiyoung walked around to the other side of the bed and sat in beside him again, running his fingers through damp black hair to soothe him.

 

“Ok, I know you hate needles but desperate times.”

 

Seokwoo turned his head and buried it in Hwiyoungs shoulder, whimpering softly as he began to shake. All the blonde could do was continue massaging his head and murmuring reassuring words into his ear. Juho reached forward and pulled the blankets down off Seokwoo’s chest until he had his hip exposed. Hwiyoung brought his free hand up to wrap it around the black haired mans back and hold him in place as Juho lined up the needle.

 

“Deep breaths for me, ok Seokwoo?”

 

His voice held a commanding tone, and Hwiyoung felt the taller man nod from where he had his nose buried in the skin of Hwiyoung’s neck. As the injection was administered, Seokwoo cried out in pain and gripped onto him tightly. And then, just like that, it was over and Juho returned to sorting through his bag. He came back with a simple white bandage which he placed over the spot of the injection before pulling Seokwoo back and lying him down properly in the bed. 

 

Between both of them, they got Seokwoo comfortable under the covers and Juho asked Hwiyoung to fetch a cool cloth and basin of water. Doing as he was told, Hwiyoung still wasn’t entirely convinced he hadn’t fallen and hit his head at some point today and that all of this was a figment of his imagination. But when he returned to the bedroom with cloth and basin in hand, he didn’t know whether he even wanted this to be real or not. Seokwoo seemed to be sleeping and so he left the taller man in the care of this doctor, and collapsed on the couch in the sitting room.

 

After what felt like an age but might have only been ten minutes, Juho came out into the sitting room and closed the door behind him. He sat down on the armchair adjacent to the couch and cleared his throat before starting to speak.

 

“So, you probably have a lot of questions, huh?”

“I suppose you could say that.”

“Ok, well, first of all I should tell you that Seokwoo is a shifter. But I guess you figured that bit out for yourself.”

“Yeah, although I’m not entirely sure this is really happening.”

“Fair enough. I’ve met a lot of people who were a lot less calm about this whole thing than you seem to be.”

“I mean - I don’t even know where to start.”

“How about you tell me how you met Seokwoo?”

 

So Hwiyoung recounted the story of the past few months with Seokwoo, or Rowoon, as his companion. Looking back, there were lots of things he realised now were very clear hints towards him not being a normal cat, but he had chosen to overlook them. By the time he was finished, Juho was smiling softly at him.

 

“What are you smiling at me for?”

“I’m just glad Seokwoo found such a caring home. There have been incidents in the past where shifters who were stuck ended up in awful places and couldn’t escape.”

“Why didn’t he just, I don’t know, leave? I mean, I always left a window open for him in case he needed to get out.”

“Well, whether you realised it or not you actually bonded yourself to him.”

“I WHAT?”

“Yeah, by giving him a name and the freedom to look after himself you created a tentative bond. Shifters can’t cement bonds in their animal forms, but he obviously trusted you enough to keep returning.”

“He was the one who looked after me a lot too though.”

“I can see that. Seokwoo has always been a rather motherly figure. Another shifter who lives with us, Chani, he has been missing him greatly although he won’t admit it.”

 

Before he could respond, the bedroom door opened and Seokwoo walked out wearing a pair of Hwiyoungs basketball shorts and had the duvet wrapped around his shoulders. Juho jumped up, scolding the taller male for not resting. But he just pushed passed him and made his way over to the couch where Hwiyoung was sitting and curled up beside him. On instinct, he threaded his fingers through the black locks and began gently rubbing his head. Juho laughed fondly before sitting back down again and looking at the pair of them.

 

“Seokwoo, you’re still sick. Don’t even attempt to bond with this poor kid before you’re healthy enough to explain everything to him.”

“‘m not gonna. Just want cuddles. Hwi is soft and warm.”

 

Hwiyoung knew his face was probably flushed rather red, but he continued his ministrations anyway, not wanting to let Seokwoo down. It wasn’t unusual for Rowoon to curl up in his lap like this as a cat in the past, the only difference now was that there was a whole person lying beside him instead. The purring was one thing that hadn’t seemed to change though, and Juho laughed at the shocked expression on the blondes face when the deep rumbling sound came from Seokwoo’s chest.

 

It took three days, but finally Seokwoo was declared healthy by the (official, registered) shifter doctor Juho. Hwiyoung returned from his classes on Monday evening to find the pair, who he had discovered were lifelong friends and also older than him, sitting on his couch chatting away. He had to take a second to catch his breath after looking at the taller male. Seokwoo was dressed properly in clothes that actually fit him, his hair was brushed back away from his face and his skin was glowing. Juho spotted him first and greeted him warmly.

 

“Hey you’re back! You’ll be happy to know that Seokwoo has passed all his exams so he is all better now.”

“That’s great, I’m really glad to hear it.”

“Thank you for your help Hwiyoung, you really are a lifesaver.”

 

Three days and he still wasn’t accustomed to the rich voice and warm smile that came from the shifter. It was a big change, going from having a practically self-sufficient cat to having two grown adult males in his apartment with him. But he wasn’t exactly complaining, they were fantastic company after all. However, Seokwoo being declared healthy meant that he was fit to leave, which was something Hwiyoung wasn’t looking forward to.

 

“So I was thinking, since Seokwoo is fit to be around other shifters and people now, how about we go for dinner? I know Chani and Taeyang are dying to see you again.”

 

Juho directed the question at him but the last statement at Seokwoo. There was a cautious smile on his face and a hopeful look in his eyes. Hwiyoung stood there in silence until he realised that they were both waiting for his answer.

 

“Oh, I mean sure. Would it be alright if I invited some people I know too? They have been rather - clingy recently, asking a lot of questions.”

“Sure, the more the merrier, right Seokwoo?”

 

The black haired shifter smiled and nodded. At that Juho jumped up excitedly and headed straight towards the door.

 

“I’ll go book a table in that restaurant we love for - wait how many people are you inviting Hwiyoung?”

“Well, two co-workers, one of their boyfriends and then a previous part-timer.”

“So four, got it. I’ll reserve nine seats for around half seven, sound good? Seokwoo knows the way so I’ll meet you guys there.”

 

And with that, the blue haired doctor was gone, massive medical bag in tow. In the wake of his departure the apartment was silent, and Hwiyoung was almost afraid to turn around to meet Seokwoo’s gaze. In the three days of his recovery, they hadn’t had any time to talk. That was about to change though.

 

“Hwiyoung, sit down. We need to talk.”

 

Those were possibly the worst choice of words the shifter could have used, but there was a warmth behind them that made it impossible to ignore. So Hwiyoung walked over and sat on the armchair opposite Seokwoo, ignoring the tug in his heart that wanted him to sit beside the elder and cuddle up to him.

 

“I know this has all come as quite a shock to you, but you have been really understanding and I cannot thank you enough. So please, ask me any questions you need and I will answer them as best I can.”

“Why didn’t you run away from me? Did you not want to go back to your friends?”

“By the time you found me, I had already been stuck for a few days. I started losing my sense of direction and then after you brought me home I was completely lost. The couple of times I did wander out I couldn’t find anything that would point me to where I was. And besides, you had named me, you fed me and cared for me better than anyone I had ever met before. Why would I want to leave that?”

 

His speech was delivered with such gratitude and sincerity it made Hwiyoung feel all swoopy inside. Truthfully, if Rowoon had left him without warning he would have been heartbroken. So he asked another question.

 

“What made you so sick?”

“Well to be honest, shifters get stuck more often than we like to say. It can happen when we’re tired or stressed or just generally ill. I’m sure you can imagine that getting stuck in human form isn’t as big of a deal.”

“Yeah, I can see why.”

“Usually, if we’re stuck for more than three days then we go see a doctor, like Juho, but in animal form it can be more difficult. Then, because I was stuck for so long I became more susceptible to emotional related diseases, and so when my body tried to form a bond with you it triggered the uncontrollable shifting.”

 

There was that thing again, talking about bonds. It made Hwiyoung feel weird inside but at the same time he craved to know more about it. That question could wait though. For now, he just wanted to make sure Seokwoo was back in good health.

 

“So, the injection Juho gave you, that cured it?”

“Well, not exactly. He gave me a shot that basically regulated my emotional state to counteract the shifting. The three days rest was just because I had been stuck for so long and my body needed a chance to get accustomed to my human form again.”

“And now? You’re not stuck any more, right?”

“Nope. I could shift into a cat right now and it wouldn’t take any more out of me than it should.”

 

His heart did a little flip at the thought of seeing Rowoon again. The last time he had seen the cat was when he found him in the bathtub after that first transformation. Obviously, he had practiced under Juho’s supervision as part of his medical exam, but Hwiyoung hadn’t been here for that. He certainly wasn’t going to tell Seokwoo that though.

 

“I really am glad you’re better now Seokwoo.”

“Thank you Hwiyoung, and thank you for taking such good care of me when I was stuck.”

“You took care of me too you know. It felt kinda like having a feline mom in the house.”

 

They both laughed at the remark, and just like that whatever weird tension had been in his chest was lifted. There was still one more question Hwiyoung needed to ask, but it was one he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the answer too. Obviously, Seokwoo had the same concerns though.

 

“About, um, living arrangements.”

“Oh, right.”

“Well, obviously this is your apartment and even though I’ve been staying here for a few months that was as a cat and not a human so it’s different. But, um, well I really enjoyed your company and it’s not my place but - I wouldn’t mind staying here. Only if you would have me that is.”

 

It was the first time he had seen Seokwoo flustered, and it was rather endearing. He tried to think rationally about it, but his heart was in control right now and it had it’s decision long made up.

 

“I mean, it’s pretty much your apartment too now. If you want to stay I don’t mind, but it would be nice to have some help with rent and groceries and stuff. Providing for two on a part-time wage isn’t easy.”

 

Seokwoo’s eyes lit up and the golden ring around his irises grew larger as a grin broke out across his face. The taller man lunged forward towards him, and Hwiyoung braced for impact only to have a much smaller bundle of fur landed on him. Rowoon looked up at him with what seemed to be a smirk on his face. He then proceeded to headbutt Hwiyoung’s chest and arms looking for affection. The blonde laughed brightly before obliging the, now perfectly healthy, shifter cat in his lap. He also took this opportunity to send a text to Inseong and Dawon, telling them they were invited to dinner tonight and to bring Jaeyoon and Youngbin with them. 

 

“You never told me where this restaurant is we’re going to. The others are going to need directions.”

 

The black cat in his lap just purred loudly before hopping onto the ground and running towards his room. Confused, Hwiyoung called after him.

 

“Where are you going?”

“I didn’t think you wanted to see me in all my naked glory, again.”

 

It was only then that the younger noticed the bundle of clothes on the ground beside the couch Seokwoo had been sitting on before he shifted, and his face blushed bright red. That certainly wasn’t something he needed to think about right now.

 

“Wait? Your clothes don’t shift with you?”

“Of course not, don’t be ridiculous.”

 

Hwiyoung snorted at that. As if people who could shift into animals at will wasn’t ridiculous enough as it was. Seokwoo emerged from the bedroom dressed in another set of fitting clothes. It was a nice change from him wearing Hwiyoung’s oversized t-shirts and shorts like he had been for the past few days.

 

“Before you ask, Juho loaned me some clothes.”

“I was actually going to ask about the blue ribbon you had on your neck when I found you first. How did you put that on if you were a cat? And where did it go?”

“Oh - well when I shifted before I got stuck one of my kits put it on me. To other shifters, a blue ribbon symbolises an unbonded male. The first uncontrolled shift I had here tore it, unfortunately.”

 

And again it came up. He was this close to just sucking it up and asking what exactly the older meant by bonded when his phone rang. Inseong’s picture lit up his phone screen and he groaned before answering it.

 

_ “You invite us out to dinner but don’t tell us when or where we’re going? Did we never teach you any manners?” _

“Evidently not. The dinner is at half seven, and as for the place - “

 

He looked to Seokwoo for help. The older just shrugged and grinned. Hwiyoung stuck his tongue out at him.

 

“I’ll get the address and send it to you. It’s a friend who invited me along so I’ll have to ask him.”

_ “Ooohh a friend? Is this a date Hwiyoungie? Should I be preparing to grill this man?” _

“It’s not a date, there’s a group of us going. Let the other three know please?”

_ “Fine. But you’re not off the hook just yet.” _

 

Hwiyoung rolled his eyes before hanging up. After begging a little he got the address of the restaurant from Seokwoo and sent it on. Inseong confirmed that all four of them would be in attendance before also letting him know they were ‘looking forward’ to meeting his friend.

 

The time to discuss bonds with Seokwoo would have to wait, as Hwiyoung now needed to shower and change before they made their way across town to the restaurant. He didn’t want to be late after all. 

 

The pair arrived at their destination five minutes before they were due to meet with the others. Dawon had texted him a picture of the three of them on the train, informing him that Youngbin was the photographer and they would be there in nine minutes time. He hadn’t heard anything from Juho but he trusted the blue haired male wouldn’t be late either. And as expected, at seven thirty on the button he appeared seemingly out of nowhere with two slightly shorter males in tow. As soon as the pair spotted Seokwoo they broke into a run and embraced him.

 

“I told you they missed you.”

“Seokwoo if you ever disappear without telling us again I’m going to riot.”

“Yeah, we were so worried.”

“I’m sorry guys. I wanted to get back to you so bad, but I couldn’t.”

 

Juho walked up and stood beside Hwiyoung as they watched the trio hugging it out. Hwiyoung felt something strange bury itself in his chest but he couldn’t identify it.

 

“That’s as much affection as Chani is going to show him for the next month.”

“Not true, I won’t so much as let him pet me for the next two months because I’m so upset he left.”

“Well seeing as I’m not going back to the house with you guys you may change your mind.”

“Wait, what do you mean you’re not coming back?”

“I’m moving in with Hwiyoung.”

“YOU’RE MOVING IN WITH HWIYOUNG? WHO ARE YOU TO SAY THAT?”

 

Hwiyoung winced as he heard Dawon’s dolphin pitched screech come from behind them. He turned to see the older marching towards them with Jaeyoon and Inseong being dragged along. Youngbin trailed behind them quietly, merely observing the situation. 

 

“Oh, hi guys. This i-”

“KIM HWIYOUNG! WHO IS THIS RIDICULOUSLY TALL AND HANDSOME MAN WHO CLAIMS TO BE MOVING IN WITH YOU?”

“Umm, this is Seokwoo. He’s going to be my roommate from now on.”

 

A warm hand landed on his shoulder and Hwiyoung looked up to see Seokwoo standing by his side. He had a warm smile on his face, one that seemed to melt Dawon’s harsh exterior. There was just something overwhelmingly calm and caring about him that turned Hwiyoung’s older friends into putty in Seokwoo’s hands. 

 

“It’s nice to finally meet you guys, I have heard lots about you.”

 

There was a hint of humour in the taller man’s voice and it took a second before Hwiyoung realised why. As a cat, Rowoon had been subject to all of his ramblings about his co-workers and their ridiculous antics and weird relationship thing. The blonde blushed slightly as he remembered all of the other things Rowoon would know, and it took a lot of self control not to bury his head in his hands right now and scream. Luckily, Juho saved the situation.

 

“I’m Juho, Seokwoo’s long time friend. And these two here are Taeyang and Chani, they live with me.”

“Well my name is Dawon, this is my boyfriend Jaeyoon and our annoying eldest friend Inseong.”

“Rude.”

“And that loner in the back is Youngbin! We are Hwiyoung’s life coaches and closest confidants.”

“You are annoying is what you are.”

 

Seokwoo laughed loudly at his comment, and Dawon looked rather offended. But as it was they were already late for their dinner reservation and so the nine of them headed inside to eat. The meal was a loud affair. The wild trio of friends were the main source of the noise, however Hwiyoung admittedly also contributed by his heated debates with Chani on various topics. Seokwoo and Taeyang just watched them amused, while Youngbin and Juho seemed to be deep in a private conversation at the far end of the table. 

 

Finally, as their night came to an end the nine of them spilt their bill and exited the restaurant into the chilly night air. Taeyang and Chani gave Seokwoo another hug each before they left, making the taller promise he would come and visit them often. Juho and Youngbin looked rather sad when they parted ways too, but Hwiyoung wasn’t too worried about them. They both seemed fairly smart and collected adults. All that was left then was Hwiyoung and Seokwoo, and the mad three. 

 

“So, Seokwoo, what are your pla-”

“Aaand that is our cue to leave! It was nice to meet you Seokwoo, and Hwi we’ll see you at work tomorrow evening. Goodnight!”

 

Inseong grabbed Dawon around his shoulders and held Jaeyoon’s wrist as he marched the two of them in the direction of the train station. Hwiyoung never felt more grateful for the eldest than he did in this moment. Beside him, the tall shifter began to laugh quietly, so he turned to him with a questioning look.

 

“It’s nothing, just - have Dawon and Jaeyoon not figured out that they’re in love with Inseong yet?”

“Oh no, they are very open with their love for him. But they just somehow haven’t realised it’s actually “we want to date you” love and not just the “you’re my best friend” kind.”

“I see. Well, I hope they figure it out soon.”

 

And with that the conversation ended and the pair began their journey home. It wasn’t until they were back in the apartment that Hwiyoung realised the slight predicament. When Seokwoo was sick, he had been resting in Hwiyoung’s room while the younger camped out on the couch. But now, they had to discuss actual living arrangements. Or not, if Seokwoo had anything to do with it.

 

“Right, time for bed I suppose.”

“Yeah, um wha-”

“Tomorrow, we’ll have a proper talk and sort everything out then.”

 

With a bright smile Seokwoo ruffled Hwiyoung’s hair before heading into the bedroom. Confused, the younger followed a moment later only to burst out laughing when he discovered the elders solution. Rowoon was sitting on top of the covers, head tilted to one side and watching him with big golden eyes. Hwiyoung shook his head and grabbed pyjamas from his closet before heading to the bathroom to change. The shifter meowed at him, sounding like he was questioning him.

 

“Look, before when I thought you were just a cat this was fine. But I know you’re a person now and so I’m going to go change in the bathroom and wash up.”

 

Before he could hear a response, the blonde stepped out of the room and made sure to lock the door behind him. So he was a little shy about changing in front of Rowoon now, but you could hardly blame him. Not when Seokwoo was 189 cm of good looks and kindness. When he was finished, he gave himself one final look in the mirror. Tomorrow, they would discuss living arrangements, and he would make sure that they discussed bonds too.

 

Curling up under the blankets to sleep, he felt grateful for Rowoon’s warm presence at his side. He hadn’t really realised how much he missed the shifters company at night until it was taken away from him. No matter what happened from now on, Hwiyoung was determined to make their strange relationship work.

 

***

 

“There you are! Juho was convinced you guys weren’t going to show.”

“Oh yeah, because I’m going to miss my best friend’s wedding.”

“Well he hasn’t exactly been in a logical mindset you know, the whole “I’m getting married” thing has been weighing on his mind recently.”

 

Hwiyoung giggled at the exchange between Seokwoo and Chani. Even four years after meeting them their playful relationship hadn’t changed. He decided to leave the taller shifter in his youngest friend’s company and went to find the others. If Juho was freaking out then it was safe to say Youngbin was having a complete meltdown. Sure enough, he found Youngbin hiding in a supply closet on the floor above his dressing room.

 

“I don’t think that eau de floor cleaner is what Jaeyoon had in mind for you today.”

“Hwi, I think I’m going to throw up.”

“Nonsense, that’s just the bleach fumes talking. Let’s get you back downstairs and let Inseong fix your makeup.”

 

Despite being one of the eldest and strongest members of their friend group, Youngbin was easily led by Hwiyoung back to where the other three were waiting in hysterics. It only took twenty minutes for them to get the groom back in respectable shape. Hwiyoung got a text from Seokwoo to say that Juho was ready and he sent a similar reply. And with that, they all made their way to the venue for the ceremony to begin.

 

Everything went smoothly, despite the tears and Taeyang’s almost shift during the vows. The afterparty was loud and raucous and Hwiyoung couldn’t keep the smile off his face. His grin grew even wider when Seokwoo appeared at his side and wrapped an arm around his waist. 

 

“Well, that was certainly something wasn’t it?”

“Oh yeah, I loved the wolf ears Taeyang was sporting. They matched his suit really well.”

 

They laughed and Seokwoo rested his chin on the top of the youngers hair. As they stood on the sidelines watching the madness Hwiyoung had never felt more content. Juho and Youngbin were newly married. Inseong, Jaeyoon and Dawon had finally figured out their weird trio of feelings. Chani was dating another shifter he met in university named Minhyuk and Taeyang had found a wonderful family of dancers who all were in awe of his skills. And as for him and Seokwoo - 

 

_ “Should we watch a Marvel or Disney film for movie night on Friday?” _

_ “I was thinking Big Hero 6, we haven’t watched it in ages." _

 

He felt the shifter smiling through their bond. Since securing it about six months after they started living together, it had only grown stronger to the point they didn’t need words to speak. Outside a heavy rainstorm started, and Hwiyoung was reminded of another stormy night over four years ago that changed his life forever. Seokwoo tightened his arms around Hwiyoung’s waist as he caught the emotions that were leaking through their bond, and the younger felt true love and happiness the likes of which he never thought were possible.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, that was fun to write! I wasn't sure where I was going some of the time but I think it worked out well in the end. I really hope you liked it Louise, thank you so much for the prompt! 
> 
> I left the ending a little ambiguous in terms of Hwiyoung and Rowoon's relationship, so you can interpret it as romantic or platonic. This was my first time writing a more magical-y au so I hope it comes across alright! Thanks for reading!
> 
> Also, for reference, [this](https://elportaldelmiedo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Gatos-origen-mala-suerte-9-1.jpg) is what I imagine Rowoon's cat form to look like!


End file.
